~ Family ~

When my family is gathered together it's loud , crowded and hilarious . It really doesn't matter if it's a funeral, wedding, birth or baptismal the environment is going to be pretty much the same . Tears, laughter , singing (aka pickin' and grinnin') and story telling .  Recently we gathered for the home going of one of our own . I'm not one for funerals, but as mom said , "This is just what we do for family" . I've decided I couldn't agree more . As I watched my Ya-Ya's shed tears over their nephew , my G-Aunt & Uncle grieve for their son and countless other family members watch the slide show and giggle or cry over memories and moments gone by ,  I felt comforted . I didn't cry . I wasn't sad . In my mind my cousin is in a far better place and if anything , I'm jealous of him . No more pain , no more struggle , true and genuine freedom . He's with the people we've already mourned like my amazing sweet Great Grandparents Estel & Hannah , my Aunt Rita and Uncle Ricky , Great Aunt Wanda and countless others . I'm confident they listened to the stories told the last few days and cried or laughed along with us .

There is comfort in the company of family . I don't care how long one's been away or what kind of trouble they've been in it's always the same greeting of hugs and love when we get together . They make me feel less crazy which is kind of ironic considering the family tree is basically one crazy after another . For those of you that may think it's an insult to call family crazy I'd like to quote Julia Sugarbaker from Designing Women , "I'm saying this is the South. And we're proud of our crazy people. We don't hide them up in the attic. We bring 'em right down to the living room and show 'em off. See, Phyllis, no one in the South ever asks if you have crazy people in your family. They just ask what side they're on."

I am cut from an undeniable mold . As I listen to the sassy back talk of cousin to aunt or uncle to nephew I have no doubt where my sharp tongue and quick whit come from . My father has a quick whit as well so I was blessed with two handfuls of it . I'm sure those around me are so grateful , (did you sense my sarcasm) ? I never know when the Lord will lead me elsewhere and like my mom says "It's good to be around family. The cousins, Aunts & Uncles they want to see you and know how you are. They miss you if you don't come around ." It's true I can't count how many times a aunt or uncle asked where a different cousin of mine was the last few days . You'd think in the hustle and bustle of large family gatherings it'd be hard to notice who is and isn't there , but sure as the day is long , they notice . I think they have a roll sheet in their head of some sort counting off nieces and nephews . Either way I always feel a little more like me when I leave them . Reassured somehow that I'm exactly how and who I'm suppose to be at the moment . I always know I have a bundle of places to go if ever I need .

I wish everyone could know my family . They're a mess and I love them . I tell stories and it seems no one believes me . As though it has to be made up . Surely it is not . These are my people . When my friends come to town I take them to at least my grandparents , a aunt or uncles and if we go out anywhere we'll run into cousins for sure . I have written before and I'm sure I will again about my family but for today I'll leave you with this AWESOME story of one of my Ya-Ya's . My Ya Ya raised her kids very strict . Not far from how she was raised . No cursing, no smoking ,  no short shorts and everyone will be in church on Sunday . How most of the cousins were raised . Today one of my younger cousins who is a artist brought his phone over to show us a picture of the latest painting he's working on . My Ya Ya at 17 years old in a pink bathing suit , cigarette in hand leaned up against a car . To say laughter erupted would be a huge understatement . We nearly took the roof off the fellowship hall . My Ya Ya's one request concerning the painting is that it be titled, "Be sure your sins will find you out" . BAHAHAHA!!!!

That's just stuff you can't make up . Tell us about your family and where you come from . Good or bad it's part of what makes you , you . Embrace it . Read here about some of the too funny things that come from my family .

(I would've loved to put some pictures in with this blog, but I've been having technical difficulties this week. Hopefully I can add some at a later time. )